Three Hundred
by sherryola
Summary: As the BAU is trying to figure out how to save Reid and Garcia, Rossi calls for reinforcements, bringing in Garcia's secret fiancé and an old friend. What will happen when an enraged Aaron Hotchner races to the scene? My fantasy for episode 300.
1. Chapter 1

Three Hundred

As the BAU is trying to figure out how to save Reid and Garcia, Rossi calls for reinforcements, bringing in Garcia's secret fiancé and an old friend. What will happen when an enraged Aaron Hotchner races to the scene? My fantasy for episode 300.

Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds. If I did, Thomas Gibson would never have been fired!

I've read enough spoilers now that I know my image of what will happen is not where the show is going. This is just my fantasy.

Chapter One

Calling in Reinforcements

The remaining members of the BAU stood around, trying to figure out how to get Reid and Garcia out of the trouble they were in. The unsubs had let Reid call someone on the team and let them know what was happening. After all, as Mary said, they wanted the entire team to be in on the anxiety. She and her people wanted the BAU to suffer with the danger their colleagues were facing. Reid had chosen to call Rossi, knowing that Rossi was the only one who could bring in Penelope's fiancé. There would be hell to pay if Penelope was in trouble and her fiancé was not told. However, only Rossi and Reid knew about the engagement. Reid had a feeling Prentiss would not be happy to have her territory invaded.

"Tell us again, Rossi," JJ said. "What were Reid's exact words?"

Rossi sighed.

"I don't have a photographic memory, but the gist of what he said was that Mary, one of our own agents, is the ring leader. She has him at gun point and one of her cohorts has Garcia in a car with a gun to her head. Either Reid releases their leader, or they will kill Penelope."

"Damn it," Luke said.

The others nodded.

"We have their profile," Prentiss said, "and we need to figure out how we can get them to talk to us so we can negotiate the release of our agents. Dave, you wrote the book on hostage negotiating, I need you to take point on this."

"Emily, I'm too involved. This is like that time out in Colorado, with you and Reid, only this time, I'm far too close. Spencer and Penelope are too close to me. They're practically like my own kids. I can make some calls and get the best negotiator out here, but I can't do it."

Prentiss scowled, but she knew Rossi was correct. He couldn't be objective when the lives of Reid and Garcia were at stake. She didn't like it but she nodded her understanding.

"I'll just make some calls." Rossi stepped away out of hearing range of the rest of the team. There was another call he had to make first. He remembered Reid's guarded words when he'd called to tell them what was happening.

"Dave, there's someone else you need to call. You get me?"

"I got ya kid. I'll call him."

Rossi would have made that call even if Reid hadn't mentioned it. There was no way he could keep this from the man who was engaged to Penelope. He shuddered to think of the glare he'd get if he tried and that man found out later that Rossi hadn't called him. The team was going to get one hell of a shock, Rossi thought. If it wasn't for the dire circumstances, he would have chuckled at the idea of the looks on everyone's faces when they discovered not only that Penelope was engaged, but to whom she was engaged. He'd been looking forward to the moment it was announced publicly to enjoy the show. Sadly, this was no time for humor. He unlocked his phone and called a very familiar contact. The phone rang once and then he heard his best friend's voice answering.

"Hotchner."

"Aaron, it's Dave."

"Hey Dave. How are you? You miss us that much? You were just here last Saturday."

Rossi heard the smile in his friend's voice. He hated to say what he needed to say, to wipe that smile off Aaron's face. Since leaving the BAU, Rossi had seen his old friend smile more than he ever had before. Aaron had already been through more than anyone should have to face. He'd even left the bureau in order to keep his family safe from sickos that would go after them. Aaron had a right to expect that those he loved would be safe, as safe as the average person anyway. Penelope wasn't even an agent. Rossi clenched his fists and took a deep breath.

"Aaron, there's something I need to tell you."

"What is it?" Hotch sat up straight, bracing for bad news. He knew that tone of voice. How many times over the years had he used a similar tone to deliver bad news to families? His mouth formed the word, who, but he never said it. His throat had closed up with terror, and he didn't think he could speak if he had to. He felt tears coming to his eyes and his pulse racing.

"Aaron, I have bad news. It's—it's about Penelope. And Spencer actually. Both of them."

There was a pause. Finally, Hotch spoke.

"Go on. What has happened to Penelope and spencer?" His voice sounded strangled. He felt like he couldn't draw a deep breath. Arms crossed against his chest, he waited for his friend to continue.

"Well, we just finished this case," Rossi said. He went on to give Hotch the story as briefly as possible, ending with the information spencer had given him.

There was a long silence when Rossi had finished speaking. At last Hotch spoke. His words sounded brittle, bitten off through clenched teeth, Hotchner glare firmly in place.

"I'm on my way. Keep me posted."

"Aaron, we're going to get them out. I promise."

"You can't promise that, Dave. I can't go through this again. First Haley, then Jack being stalked and going into protection. Now Penelope and Spencer. I can't go through it again. I'm coming, and if Prentiss isn't able to deal with this, I will."

"Do you want me to tell them you're coming?"

"No. Let them be surprised. You know, while Morgan and savannah are visiting, we were going to have everybody over and make the big announcement. Penny wanted to tell everyone at once so we could see their shocked faces. Now I want them to be surprised. I don't want them to be prepared for this. What the hell is going on with the team that this should happen?"

"I know. We didn't expect this, Aaron. You know I love those two like they are my own. Come hell or high water, if it takes all I have, I'm not going to let any harm come to either one of them. Neither will anyone else, of course, but I'm telling you this as your friend. I'll do whatever it takes. Do you trust me?"

"Of course, I trust you, with all I have."

"Good. I'm sorry this won't end up being the grand surprise Kitten was hoping for. But I couldn't keep this from you. I knew you'd have to be a part of this. We could sure use your skills. You always were the best trainee I had. Are you going to bring Morgan with you?"

"Hell yes. I'll call him right now. Then I've got to call Jessica to make sure she's available for Jack. I'll see you in thirty. If anything changes, call me."

"You've got it. Hang in there, Aaron. We're going to win this one, just like we always do."

"Yes, but at whose expense." Aaron hung up and rushed for the door.

Author's Note:

I always loved the relationship between Hotch and Garcia. There was something sweet and magical between them. I liked Beth because she made him laugh. But once she was gone, I started thinking Hotch and Garcia would make a great match. I started shipping them hard after the Route 66 episode in Season 9 I think it is, and it became fixed after Internal affairs in season 11.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds. Also, there's a bit of friction between Prentiss and Hotch in this chapter. For the record, I dislike both Prentiss and JJ, ever since the whole fake death nonsense. However, though I wanted to turn Prentiss into a major pain, I decided against it, because this story is about other things. Maybe, in the future someday.

Enjoy!

Rossi returned to the others after finishing his conversation with Hotch and calling for a negotiator.

"Any changes?" he asked, looking at Prentiss.

"Nothing. Did you find someone to come and negotiate?"

Rossi nodded.

"Yes, they'll be here soon."

"You look like you have something up your sleeve," Simmons said, eyeing Rossi with suspicion. "What else did you do?"

"I did a little next of kin notifying," Rossi said.

JJ frowned.

"What do you mean? You didn't call Diana Reid, did you?"

"Of course not. I called Kitten's fiancé."

Everyone gaped. Rossi wanted to laugh at their shocked looks. Any other time this would have been fun. This wasn't the time though, and he kept his serious look. Tara was the first to recover.

"Her fiancé? Are you sure? Garcia can't be engaged. She'd never be able to keep such a secret."

"And why would she keep it secret?" Prentiss asked. "We're her family. Why wouldn't she tell us?"

"I can't speak for her," Rossi said. "I believe they wanted to tell you all at once and wanted to have Morgan and Savannah here as well. That doesn't matter now. The only important thing at this minute is to figure out how to get our people out safely."

"Do we know if Reid still has his gun?" Alvez asked.

"I'm sure he doesn't," Prentiss said. "Wouldn't they have searched him first?"

"I don't know," JJ said. "Maybe they think the threat to Garcia is enough to keep him behaving. If I know Spence, he'll be coming up with a plan."

The group stood around discussing the cult, its leaders and trying to work up a profile of Meadows. Why would she be a part of the cult and why betray the oaths she swore when joining the Bureau?

"We know how cults work," JJ said. "There must have been something in her life that would cause Meadows to be drawn to it."

The sound of screeching brakes interrupted their discussion.

"I hope that's the negotiator," Prentiss said, turning toward the sound.

"Driving like that? I don't think so." A small smile flashed across Rossi's face and was gone again. JJ noticed and narrowed her eyes as she turned to see who had arrived.

"Hotch?" Prentiss said. "And Morgan? What are they doing here? Rossi, why did you call them?"

They all watched as both front doors of the car flew open and two men leaped out. As they raced toward the BAU team, Prentiss turned an angry look on Rossi.

"They are civilians," she said in a hard whisper. "You had no right to call them."

"I told you I was notifying next of kin. Aaron is Penelope's next of kin. Derek happened to be visiting with Savannah and Hank."

"What the hell do you mean, Aaron is Penelope's next of kin?" Prentiss asked.

"Are Hotch and Garcia engaged?" Tara asked.

Nodding, Rossi turned away from Prentiss and rushed to meet his friends. Prentiss glared after him.

"Dave, any news?" Aaron asked.

"I'm sorry, Aaron, no news. No change."

As they spoke, the others surrounded them. JJ hugged Hotch and then Morgan. Alvez and Simmons shook hands. Lewis shook hands as well. Prentiss was still glaring and Rossi, waiting for an explanation.

"Not that I'm not glad to see you both," Prentiss said, turning at last to the newcomers, "but, why are you here? Dave shouldn't have called you. You don't work for the bureau anymore and you can't be a part of this. It doesn't concern you."

"What the hell do you mean, Emily?" Morgan crossed his arms over his chest and scowled. "Penelope is my best friend and Reid is my little brother. I have every right to be here. And Hotch, well, he has more right to be here for her than anyone."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Penelope and I are engaged," Hotch said. "We were going to tell you all soon. That's one of the reasons Derek and savannah are here. To celebrate all of us together again."

On any other day, Hotch would have enjoyed the looks on the faces of the BAU. Mouths dropped open; eyes were wide with shock. He could have laughed if not for the dire circumstances of this meeting.

"Why didn't she tell us?" JJ asked nobody in particular. "I thought we were friends, like sisters. Why wouldn't she have told me? Or Emily?"

"She just wanted to enjoy the engagement for a while, just us," Hotch said, trying to explain. "I know she is a butterfly, joyful and full of color and happiness. I know she loves to bask in the happy things and you would think she'd have wanted to tell you all. But she wanted to keep it to herself for a while. The only ones who knew were Dave and spencer. And eventually Morgan. And of course, spencer figured it out on his own. So did Dave. But that's neither here nor there. We need to concentrate on getting them out of there."

Prentiss had pulled herself together while he was speaking. She fixed a stern look on Hotch and Morgan.

"Whatever the reason, you two can't be here. You're not part of this anymore. I need you both to leave. You know how this works, Hotch, and I expect you both to go home and wait for word from us. Just like any other family of a crime victim."

"The hell we will." Aaron glared at her, with the look that had made many unsubs fear for their safety. "We won't get in your way, but we're here and we have years of experience in this kind of thing. We can help. And neither of us are leaving until Penelope and spencer are safe."

"Damn straight," Morgan said. "c'mon, Prentiss, you know we can help. Here we are. Don't turn away any help. Pick our brains. Use us as decoys, distractions, bait, anything. You've got two of the people I love most in the world in serious trouble. There's no way either of us are turning our backs on them."

Prentiss stalked away. She was pissed. This was her team, her case. She didn't want outside help, especially not from those two. She had nothing against them, but she felt she was always living in the shadow of Aaron Hotchner. He was known and respected all around the bureau. She was a woman, leading a team that historically had always been led by men. If Hotch came in and helped save the day, would any of them remember that Prentiss had led the team? The other thing she couldn't wrap her head around was the engagement? Hotch and Garcia? How did that happen? How could it happen? She loved Penelope with all her heart, but really, Garcia just couldn't be the right woman for Hotch. She was too bright, too cheerful, too gentle, not dynamic and strong enough to be a good match. Hotch needed another alpha, like herself. She stopped her thoughts right there. Maybe all those things were exactly why Hotch loved Garcia. Penelope could always make him laugh, and he could always say the right thing just when Penelope was feeling discouraged or out of her element. Sighing, she turned back to the group. There was no time to quibble over who was engaged to whom and who could or could not help. Two of her team were in grave danger, and Emily should be grateful for any help she could get to save them.

"Look guys, I'm sorry," she started to say.

Hotch waved it off.

"Don't worry about it," he said. "We're all on edge. Tell me what you know. How did this happen?"

Prentiss threw up her hands in exasperation.

"We were working one of those cult cases," she said.

"We'd wrapped it up," Alvez continued the story. "We were all going to meet at Rossi's. We left their leader, the one they call the Messiah, and other agents were supposed to make sure he got locked up in jail."

"It turns out, from the little Reid was able to tell me," Rossi said, "That one of the agents who had seemed to help us with the case is actually a follower of this so-called Messiah. She is the one who took Reid, and another of her cohorts has Garcia in a car with a gun to her head."

Aaron's hands were shaking by the time Dave was finished with his explanation. Shoving them into his pockets to hide the shaking, he paced away trying to think this through. His mind was buzzing, a jumble of memories, disconnected thoughts swirling around, making no sense. He took a few deep breaths and pulled himself together. He could let himself panic when it was over. For now, Penelope and spencer needed him, and the others, to be at the top of their game. He turned back toward the team.

"Okay," he said, "what had you come up with when Derek and I arrived?"

"Well, we were just talking about digging into Meadows' past, and into the history of the cult," Simmons said.

"We need Lynch for that," JJ said. "He's almost as good as Garcia."

The sound of a gunshot crashed through the air. Everyone froze. Hotch dropped to his knees. He lowered his head into his hands.

"No, please no! Not Penelope! Not Spencer!"

Author note:

I am totally blind, so if anyone can answer one question for me about the season 13 finale. Where did they leave the cult leader when they finished the case? Feel free to PM me. I'm trying to finish this by October 3rd!


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds. Boo hoo.

I think there will be two or three more chapters. I plan to get the main part completed before next week, and maybe a wrap up chapter or two afterward. By the way, if you like Hotch/Garcia, check out my story called Under the Weather. I plan to add to it, here and there. Enjoy.

Chapter Three

Meanwhile …

Reid's mind was processing as fast as he possibly could. He had to get away, so he could help rescue Penelope. He hoped Dave had called Hotch. Reid would feel better with Hotch on hand. No, Aaron, he thought. Ever since Hotch had retired from the BAU, he had encouraged Reid to start calling him by his first name.

I'm not your boss anymore, Spencer," he had said. "I'm your friend now. Penelope and I are going to be married, and I can't have one of her closest friends always calling me Hotch or sir."

Reid had treasured that. After Gideon's abrupt departure, Hotch had become a mentor, then a friend, and now, Reid considered Aaron his closest friend. Not to lessen his closeness to Derek, after all, Derek was like the brother he'd always wished he had while he was growing up. But Aaron had always been there, in that graveyard in Georgia, during the days of his agonizing withdrawal from the drugs Tobias had forced on him. In the aftermath of Maeve's death, Spencer had gone to Aaron's house many evenings, and Hotch had just sat and listened. Hotch knew the pain of losing someone he loved to the madness of an unsub. Once Hotch came back from protective custody, he and Garcia had let Reid into their secret, and Spencer had been touched by their trust in him. If Dave had called Aaron, Spencer was confident that somehow there would be a rescue for both himself and Penelope.

"So, Dr. Reid," Meadows interrupted his thoughts, "what's it going to be? You help us get our leader, or we kill Penelope Garcia. It's time you made a decision."

"Well, Mary, I think you're the one who isn't thinking about this correctly."

"What do you mean?"

"You stand there, with your gun aimed at my head, and I have mine aimed at yours. If your co-conspirator shoots Garcia, I will shoot you. Either way, you will be just as dead, and your so-called Messiah will still be in custody. You think you can scare me into cooperating? Threatening me that you'll shoot her if I don't cooperate is counterproductive. I won't free your so-called leader, and if you do kill Garcia, you will be very much dead. I'll make sure of it. I can try to help you get a better sentence, if you work with us to resolve this situation and set Ms. Garcia free. Because you should know that I will not aid you in any way."

Mary swore.

"I'm not bluffing," she said. "I will tell my associates to shoot her unless you help me."

"So you say. But I will not help you if you shoot her. It's a catch 22, isn't it? You say you'll shoot if I don't help, but I won't help if you do. What's it going to be? Are we just going to stand here debating it?"

She slapped him. He didn't flinch, just stood looking calmly back at her. It baffled him how so many people still underestimated him. He was no longer that awkward kid from his early years with the BAU. He was a competent, confident agent. He could shoot as well as anyone but Hotch now. He was comfortable in his own skin, after all he'd been through, and this woman could not shatter his will with her threats.

"Okay," she said coolly, "If you won't cooperate, I guess that means plan B."

She reached into her pocket for her phone, lowering the gun as she did so. Glancing away from Reid, Mary began to tap in a number.

Reid took his chance. Pivoting, Reid struck out, slamming against the hand with the phone, sending it to the floor, just as someone on the other end said hello. Shocked by the sudden attack, Mary dropped the gun. Reid scrambled to get it before she could. They struggled as Mary called out to whoever had answered her call.

"Plan B, plan B. Take her to the place we discussed. Go, now!"

Reid picked up his gun. Turning to face Mary, he was calm, his gun hand steady as he aimed at her.

"Rescind that order," he said.

"No."

She smiled. It was cold, a smile of firm conviction. He knew in that instant, that she would not give up. He heard an engine rev and looked over in time to see the car with Penelope speeding away.

"Damn it!" Reid rarely swore, considering it a waste of words. There were so many better ways to express oneself. Now though, he wanted to yell and curse and shake Mary till her teeth rattled. How would they ever find Penelope?

Just as he returned his attention to her, Mary leapt at him, grabbing his gun arm, trying to get it away from him. They struggled. The gun went off, and Mary fell to the floor, bleeding from a wound in her stomach.

Reid hurriedly pulled off his shirt. Kneeling beside Mary, he pressed the shirt to the wound. With his other hand he pulled his phone out of his pocket and called Rossi.

"Reid! We heard a gunshot. Are you okay? What's going on?" Rossi sounded strained.

"David, we need an ambulance. Mary and I fought for my gun and it went off. She has a stomach wound. She had whoever was holding Penelope take her somewhere. We need to keep Mary alive, so we can find out where."

"Spencer, it's Aaron. Did they leave you any clue? Did they say anything?"

"No, I'm sorry. Have they called the EMT's?"

"Yes, they're on the way," Prentiss said. "Reid, are you all right?"

"yes, not a scratch."

"Thank goodness. Spence, you have got to stop getting yourself into these situations." JJ sounded scolding.

"This is not the time for that," Rossi said, "And Spencer isn't Henry or Michael. You don't need to scold him like a recalcitrant child."

Reid heard the sound of running feet. The team burst in, Aaron and Derek at the front. He felt an immense sense of relief at the sight of them. They would find Penelope. This team was unbeatable.

"Glad to see you all in one piece," Morgan ruffled Reid's hair as he used to do.

"Knock it off," Reid pushed his hand away, but then reached out and gave his friend a hug. "I've missed you man. But I hate that we're seeing each other under these circumstances."

"Me too, Pretty Boy."

Aaron pushed past Morgan and wrapped Reid in a hug.

"I'm so glad you're okay, spencer."

"Aaron, I'm sorry I couldn't stop them. By the time Mary grabbed me, they already had Penelope. I won't give up till we find her. I promise you."

"It's not your fault," Aaron said. "You've been at this job long enough to know that. They went after the one they consider the most vulnerable, and the most precious to the entire team."

"I know." Reid shook his head. "I'm still sorry. I should have known something was up with her. I didn't want to have to shoot Meadows. We need her alive. She may be the only one who knows where Garcia is now."

"None of that now," Rossi said. "You have nothing to apologize for. You did the only thing you could. Now we need to use all our skills. We need to put aside everything else, squabbles, hurt feelings, whatever. There's only one thing to focus on, and this is getting Penelope back safely and alive."

"There must be other members of this cult we can question," Aaron turned to Prentiss. "surely you have other names we can interview?"

Prentiss nodded.

"We do. And we will find more. As of now, this is all we are doing. We get no rest, no breaks. Not until Garcia is home safe."

They all nodded solemnly. Not one of them would rest until Garcia was back among them.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer:

I don't own Criminal Minds. Sigh.

I want to say a quick thank you to all who are following this story and to those who have reviewed. It means so much!

You may think I'm portraying David Rossi unrealistically in this chapter. I think this is well within his character as we've seen it. We saw his hometown and got hints and what kind of people he was involved with growing up. Last season, we saw him take steps to protect Krystall with a K and Two L's daughter from a scumbag. I think it wouldn't be out of line for Rossi to do whatever he had to do to get what he needed to rescue someone he loves.

Chapter four

The team, accompanied by Aaron and Derek, entered the FBI building in gathered in the conference room.

"The first thing you need to do," Hotch said, "is to get their leader out of this building. Is he still in a holding cell here?"

Prentiss nodded.

"First mistake," Morgan said. "Why didn't you make sure he was out of here?"

"We didn't know Meadows was part of the cult," JJ tried to explain. "We've always left people in holding cells, if we finish the case here, and we leave it to others to get them to jail. You both know that."

Hotch nodded and shrugged.

"Okay, you're right, JJ. But this time it's created a huge problem, and Penelope is in danger."

He looked around at them all. Only Reid and Rossi could meet his glare. Prentiss crossed her arms.

"so, enough discussion of what we did wrong," she said. "We don't have time for that. We need to figure out how to get Garcia back."

"I have an idea," Rossi said.

"what is it, Dave?" Hotch started to ask. Just then Kevin burst into the room.

"I've found something," he said, rushing to the conference table with a laptop. "I went back through Penelope's files from her work on the case. I did more digging and found some other people who might be part of this cult."

"Kevin, that's fantastic," Tara said.

"I'm sending it to your tablets right now."

"Thank you," Hotch, who was nearest, reached out to shake Kevin's hand. "I won't forget your help on this."

"Penelope means a lot to me, even though we haven't dated in years. You know that, Hotch. Just bring her home."

"I will. You can count on that. I will not rest until she is back."

Nobody doubted Aaron's word. The people who had been on the team during the Foyet era knew very well just how far Aaron Hotchner would go to protect his family.

"Kevin, can you stay and hand the tech stuff for us?" Prentiss asked.

"Of course. I'll be in Penelope's lair."

"Good man." Morgan nodded and turned back to Rossi. "what were you about to say before Kevin came in?"

"We need to throw Meadows off her game," Rossi said. "I think Morgan and Alvez should go to the hospital and be ready to question her as soon as she's awake. In the meantime, the rest of us should follow up on the info Kevin gave us. Someone will talk."

'Morgan is not an agent," Prentiss said. "Neither he nor Hotch can be a part of questioning anyone. How many times do I have to remind everybody of this?"

Aaron started to scowl and opened his mouth ready to argue. Rossi knew that if if he let Aaron go off on Prentiss, things might be said that could never be taken back. He held up a hand.

"Wait, Aaron. Hold on, Emily. That's why you send them with someone from the team. Morgan with Luke. Hotch can come with me and Reid. The rest of you can divide up however Emily wants you. There's no way you can expect these two to stay here calmly and wait."

He gestured to Hotch and Morgan.

"I won't sit here on my ass doing nothing, not while the woman I love is in trouble," Aaron said.

"Neither will I." Morgan nodded in agreement.

Simmons, who had known them both casually, grimaced. He'd heard the stories about how they'd clashed, but trusted and respected each other. No wonder both Hotchner and Morgan had been such strong leaders. He could tell by the stern and angry way they both sat and glared at Prentiss, that neither would back down. If it hadn't been so serious, he might have laughed at their similar stances, crossed arms, clenched fists, glares firmly in place.

"The more people we have working this," he said, turning to Prentiss, "the faster we can find Garcia. I think we should welcome their assistance. I, for one, appreciate it. I can't stand to think of what might be happening to Garcia right now. This isn't something she signed up for, and she isn't prepared to withstand it."

"Penelope is one of the strongest people I know," JJ said. "but she hasn't had any physical training or any other kind of training agents get. We need to find her."

Tears filled her eyes. She looked away, getting herself under control.

Sighing, Prentiss nodded.

"You're all right, of course." she said. Looking at Hotch, she continued, "I expect you to follow Rossi's lead and don't get in his way. Same with you, Morgan, let Alvez take point. If either of you have any ideas or input, don't hesitate to speak up, but you're not agents, so you have got to stay out of the action. Is that clear?"

Hotch and Morgan exchanged a look. They both nodded.

Only Tara seemed to notice that neither had agreed verbally or made any kind of promise to follow Emily's directions.

Garcia sat, helpless, tied to a chair, more frightened than she'd ever been in her life. There had been that time, nearly eleven years before when she'd been shot, but other than that, she wasn't usually the one in danger. She was always the one, sitting in her office at Quantico, worrying about her friends, the ones who were actually often in danger. Tears streamed down her cheeks. Terrified, she thought, I'm terrified. Is there a word that means more terrified than terrified? Oh, what will Aaron say? What will he do? She knew her man. He would tear the city down around them all to get to her, but at what price, and what would happen to her until he reached her. The ropes on her wrists had begun to cut off her circulation, and her skin was chafed where she had pulled, trying to get free. This couldn't be happening. Would anyone find her in time? What would her captors do to her in an attempt to get the BAU to do their bidding? She began to shake.

There were no windows in the room where she was being held. She tried to think like a profiler, looking around to see if there were any details she could give to help them find her, if she somehow got the chance. The walls were plain white. It was a basement, she thought, because she'd been dragged down a flight of stairs when they brought her here. There was a door at the top of the stairs, but even if she could get loose, she was sure her captors had locked it. what could she do?

The door opened. A tall, husky man came down the stairs.

"Hello, Ms. Garcia. Welcome to my home. I'm sorry for the inconvenience to you, but your team has greatly inconvenienced me and my cause. I do not intend to hurt you, but that will be up to your team. We need them to do something for us, and we might have to, shall we say, use you for, let's call it encouragement."

"They'll never give in to your demands. You don't know them very well if you think they will. Meadows should have told you that much."

"Your Dr. Reid got the jump on Mary, unfortunately. But we have you. They'll do anything to keep you from being harmed."

"No they won't. Meadows didn't understand them at all, if you thought kidnapping me could get any of them to do anything."

"We have other uses for you," the man said. "after all, you are supposed to be a tech genius. So, if we can't get them to comply with our demands, we can have you work something on the technology side of things. I'm sure a few clicks from you would have our Messiah walking free in not time."

"I won't help you."

The man chuckled.

"Oh, Ms. Garcia, may I call you Penelope?"

"No. Only my friends call me that."

The man went on without seeming to hear her.

"Oh Penelope. You have no idea what methods we can and will employ to get our Messiah back. I told you I don't want to have to hurt you. But believe this, if you believe nothing else I say. I may not want to hurt you, but I will do whatever it takes. I'm going to leave you here to ponder that a while."

He turned toward the stairs.

"Please, don't leave me here. Stay and talk to me. I'm afraid down here alone."

The man's face softened briefly. He shook his head and started up the stairs.

"at least tell me your name."

Looking back over his shoulder, he answered.

"You can just call me Nicholas. Sleep well, if you can, Penelope. I shall return in the morning."

He exited the room, and Penelope heard the lock click.

She longed for her hands to be free. She wanted to weep, to bury her face in her hands, to pull her hair in frustration. Her arms and legs were already becoming numb. How would she even be able to move by morning. She was hungry and thirsty. She wanted to go to the bathroom. She wanted to curl up in Aaron's arms, to feel his strength and love surround her. She wanted to hear Jack's laughter. She wanted to see Aaron's dimples. She just wanted to go home.

"Please, Aaron, please find me soon."

Her tears continued to fall down her cheeks.

Author note:

Oops, I didn't get to Rossi's perhaps questionable actions in this chapter. I planned to, but as I was writing, I knew we needed to hear from Penelope. Rescue in the next chapter.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer:

I still don't own Criminal Minds, darn it.

Author note:

This is the chapter where Rossi might act a little out of character, to some anyway. I think it fits his character. I could have gone a lot of different ways with this, and if I wasn't on a time crunch, I might have drawn this out longer. But I did want to finish before the premier.

There will be an epilogue, where the team will hear how it all happened between Hotch and Garcia, and then a nice scene with our two sweethearts alone. By the way, I know there are a few typos in earlier chapters. I don't have a beta, and though I read this thing over and over, and spell check a few times, sometimes, things get past me. I'm sorry for that, and I greatly appreciate your acceptance and forbearance. Thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter as well.

Chapter Five

Back at Quantico

As everyone was dispersing, Morgan approached Rossi and Hotch.

"I spoke to Alvez and Simmons," he said, "and we agreed I'd stick with you guys. Meadows knows full well I'm not an agent now, so I won't be able to interview her. Besides, I think you might need more man power for dealing with people in this cult. They don't know Hotch and I aren't agents. Where's Reid?"

"He's over there talking to Kevin," Rossi said. "He'll meet us at the elevators. Let's go. I think Aaron is going to fly to pieces if we don't get started."

Hotch certainly looked like he was about to fly to pieces. He stood with his back to the others, his stance like a runner about to start a race. One hand tapped against his hip repeatedly. He was frustrated with any delay. He wanted to be on the move, doing something to try to find Penelope.

Reid joined the others then and together, the four men strode toward the elevators.

"Kevin got hold of Mary Meadows phone," Reid said, as they headed toward an SUV. "Not just her FBI phone but her personal one as well. He's going to try to give us some names from contacts on those. In the meantime, I think we should talk to Theo."

"Who's he?" Hotch asked.

Rossi and Reid quickly filled them in on the case. "Theo must know someone we can talk to, some names, something. And I'm sure he'll want to help us. He killed his own parents, and he killed others in order to protect his girlfriend."

"Good thinking, Spencer," Rossi said. "Aaron, I think you should talk to him. Man to man, one man trying to save the woman he loves, to another man who did whatever was necessary to do the same."

"Do you still carry?" Morgan asked Hotch.

"Oh yes. I'm wearing my ankle holster now."

"Good. When we do find Penelope, who knows what we'll have to do to rescue her."

"I'll do whatever it takes and damn the consequences after," Hotch said.

"We're going to get her, Aaron," Rossi squeezed his friend's shoulder. "She's their only bargaining chip now. They know we'll do anything to save her, but they also know if anything happens to her, we won't rest until every one of them is caught."

Later, Hotch sat across from Theo in an interrogation room.

"Theo, my name is Aaron Hotchner," he said. "I used to be an FBI agent, working in the behavioral analysis unit. I am retired from that now. I teach law at Georgetown now."

Theo looked back at him, saying nothing.

"I know that everything you did was to try to save your girlfriend from those monsters in the cult. If you help me, I'll make sure to find the best defense attorney I can. I was a prosecutor, before joining law enforcement and eventually the Bureau. I have a lot of contacts, and I can just make a couple calls and get you a lawyer who will defend you. I think you have a good chance of either getting off completely or ending up with a light sentence."

"How can I help you? I tried not to have much to do with those assholes. They wanted to kill April."

"I know." Aaron looked down at the table for a moment. "Earlier this evening, they kidnapped my fiancé, Penelope. They are using her for leverage to get the bureau to release their leader, the one they call the Messiah. Penelope isn't an agent nor a profiler. She's a technical analyst."

Theo's face went white.

"What is a technical analyst?"

"She does the computer and cell phone searches for the BAU," Hotch said. "She's a whiz with computers. She doesn't carry a gun, isn't trained with the physical training the agents get. She's as innocent as your April was."

"Oh no. Oh no. They'll try to hurt her to make you guys go along with what they want. And if that doesn't work, they might try to force her to use her skills to change records or something. They would do anything. I know. They tried to make a man they'd held and tortured for months, kill April right in front of me. You have to find your girl, sir! They—they are cruel. You have to save her!"

Aaron reached out a hand and touched the boy's fist.

"Calm down, Theo. I will find her. There is nothing I won't do to save her. And if you help me, there is nothing I won't do to help you when this is over. Do you believe me? Will you help me?"

Tears blurred Aaron's vision. Looking away, he bit his lip to get himself under control. It was not the time for tears.

"I don't know much," Theo said. "I can give you some names. They probably took her to a guy named Nicholas. He's one of their, um, I guess you'd call him an enforcer or something like that. He's the one who deals with people who are causing trouble in the cult."

In the observation room, Rossi, Reid and Morgan exchanged looks.

"Do you have a last name?" Hotch asked.

Theo shook his head.

"No. He was only ever called Nicholas. But he has a cousin, I think his name is something like Sullivan. He would know where Nicholas is or where he might keep your girl."

Morgan took out his cell. Stepping away, he called Kevin back at Quantico.

"Kevin, I have a couple names for you," he said. "Look for someone named Nicholas or Sullivan. Or something like Sullivan. Don't know if either of those are a first or last name. Theo says Nicholas is probably the one who has Garcia, and Sullivan is his cousin. Get back to me right away."

"You got it, Derek. I'll look through the info we have and call ya right back."

Morgan rejoined the others.

"You've been a big help, Theo," Hotch was saying. He stood and walked over to lay a hand on Theo's shoulder. "I will keep my promise. I'll get the best defense lawyer I know to come down here and take your case. Either for free or for a small fee. And I'll help you with that if there is a cost. Penelope means the world to me and to my son. I'll never be able to do enough if we can find her because of your help."

"Thank you sir."

"No, the thanks go to you. I'll be in touch."

He smiled at the boy and left.

"Did you get those names?" Hotch asked the others.

"Yes, Morgan has already given them to Kevin," Reid said. "He should be calling back anytime."

Morgan's phone rang. He answered, and the others held their breaths.

"You're on speaker, Kevin. What you got?"

"Okay. I couldn't find any Nicholas in Penelope's files or on the phones Meadows had."

"Fuck," Aaron swore.

"Hold on. Don't lose it yet, Hotch. I did find Sullivan."

"Where?"

"His name is Paul Sullivan. He's one of those financial planners dudes. He works in DC. I'm sending the address to you. I've got his work and home addresses. Go get him."

"Thank you, Kevin. Thank you." Hotch turned and ran for the door, with the others close behind.

Alone at his office, Paul Sullivan was nervous. He knew that the remainder of the cult had planned to hold some FBI agents hostage to try to get them to release their Messiah. Sullivan wasn't a brave man, not even a wholehearted Believer, and he just knew that this plan would backfire and cause them all even more trouble. Didn't they know that law enforcement types were merciless when it came to one of their own being in harm's way? What a stupid plan. Just then he heard the outer office door crash open and loud voices calling out, "FBI!"

"Oh shit!"

He tried to run for the back door but someone tackled him from behind. He looked up to see a man with black hair and very angry eyes staring at him.

"Paul Sullivan?"

"Y-yes. What do you want? I haven't done anything. Let me up."

Reid produced a set of handcuffs, and Hotch stood up to give his friend room to cuff the man.

"Now, Mr. Sullivan," Rossi said in a cool tone, "we're going to head into your office there, and you're going to answer a few questions for us."

"I don't know anything."

"We'll see about that." Hotch wrenched Sullivan to his feet and marched him back into his office. "Where is your cousin Nicholas?"

"I don't know."

"Wrong answer." Rossi strolled over and stared at Sullivan. "Would you care to try again?"

"I'm not gonna say anything," Sullivan tried to sound tough, but ended up sounding scared.

"Hmmm. Is that the way you want to play it?" Rossi smiled. "Maybe my friends here could step out and leave us alone for a few minutes. Then you and I will have a little chat. Morgan, Block the door."

"I'll stay," Aaron said. "I'm not an agent after all."

"What—what are you going to do?" Sullivan began to tremble. These two looked like they would stop at nothing. All four of the men looked that way, but these two looked vicious.

"Now, then, I know you're cuffed," Rossi said pleasantly, "Let me have a look at those cuffs, make sure they aren't too tight or anything."

Turning Sullivan around, Rossi read for one of Sullivan's fingers. With a quick sharp motion, he bent it back till it snapped. Sullivan screamed.

"Fuck man, why did you do that? You're a fed, you can't do this to me."

"Oh dear. A small accident while you were trying to escape. What can I say? Shall we try another one?"

Aaron looked at Rossi.

"Dave, should you do this?" He didn't really care, in fact, Aaron heartily approved. He wanted to have it appear as if he remonstrated with Rossi, in case Sullivan tried to tell a lawyer this had happened. Rossi shot him a look, showing he understood what Hotch was doing and turned back to Sullivan.

"Now then, where were we? Oh yes, we were discussing if you'd like to have more than one finger broken."

With no warning, he broke a finger on the other hand.

Sullivan screamed again.

"Okay, okay, I'll tell you. Please stop."

"I thought you'd see reason. Aaron, let Derek and spencer in."

Reid made a call to the local police and Paul Sullivan was carted off to spend some time in jail. He had known about the plot, and therefore could be held as a conspirator. Rossi warned the officers not to let Sullivan have his call for a while, so he wouldn't be able to warn his cousin. Then they called Prentiss to fill her in and headed for the address Sullivan had given them.

Penelope's tears had dried. She was still tied to the chair, hands numb despair taking over. She was losing hope that she would be rescued before the morning, and dread filled her at the thought of what that might mean. What might Nicholas do to her if no one came for her in time? The house above was quiet now. How late was it anyway?

There was a crash from upstairs, pounding feet and shouts. She trembled. Were they bring in reinforcements to threaten or hurt her? Then she heard a voice calling her name.

"Penelope, Penelope, where are you?'

There were more shouts, calling out that they were FBI, gun shots, more pounding feet. Then the door slammed open and a light came on. There was the most beautiful sight in the world, Aaron rushing down the stairs to her.

"Penelope, I'm here. You're safe. You're safe. Are you okay?"

She burst into tears.

"Aaron, help me."

"I'm here, Honey. Let me just get you untied." He turned to call up the stairs. "Does anybody have something to cut these ropes?"

Once she was untied, Aaron gathered Penelope in his arms and held her close. She clung to him, shaking and crying from relief.

"I knew you'd come. I was just afraid about how long it would take or what they might do to me before you found me. I was so scared. But I knew you'd come."

"Of course I would. I'll always come for you."

He ran his hand over her hair, pressing her against him as close as he could.

"Morgan and I came as soon as Rossi called," Aaron told her. "Rossi, Reid, Morgan and I found you. The others are handling the cult people."

"I'm so cold. And I'm hungry and I have to go to the bathroom. And I've never been so glad to see anyone in my life!"

Aaron chuckled softly and kissed her.

"I can say the same thing. I was afraid I would lose you, and I could not bear that. Come-on, the others are waiting. And we need to have the paramedics check you out."

"No hospital. I mean it, Aaron."

"Did they harm you in anyway?"

"No, just grabbed me, shoved me around and then left me tied to a chair forever."

"You probably won't need the hospital then, but humor me, and let the medics check you out. Okay?"

For the first time, she smiled.

"I can't say no when you give me that look with those dimples."

"Mmmm, that's a good thing."

They kissed again. Hand in hand, they went up the stairs. Penelope was safe. For now, that was all that mattered.

"I love you, Penelope Garcia," he said, squeezing her hand. "Are you ready to face the world? Everyone is waiting to see you."

She squeezed back.

"With you by my side, I can face the world and anything else. And, I love you too, Aaron Hotchner."

Together they stepped through the door, leaving the basement behind them.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer:

I don't own Criminal Minds. Wow, if I did, Hotch would be mine!

Author notes:

This story is officially AU now, but that's okay. Thank you to all who have reviewed and favorited. I appreciate it. There will be an epilogue after this chapter. I felt Aaron and Penelope needed some time alone before the reunion with everyone else.

Enjoy.

Three Hundred, chapter Six

When Hotch and Garcia arrived outside, the rest of the team threw themselves at her, hugging and crying. Penelope felt overwhelmed and exhausted. The only thing she wanted was to be in Aaron's arms and stay right there for about twelve hours. She felt claustrophobic with all the bodies surrounding her, and she clung to Aaron like a lifeline.

Glancing into Penelope's face, Aaron saw that she was close to coming undone. He knew what she needed. She needed to get away and have some quiet time to regain her strength and peace. He would make damn sure she got it. Holding up his hand, he glared around at the others.

"Look, I know you all want to hug Penelope and talk about what happened and all the rest," he said, "but she needs to rest. You can debrief her tomorrow. For now, I'm taking her home and giving her some hot tea and a massage and making sure she gets a decent night's sleep."

"But, we need to get her statement," Prentiss said. "We need to know what happened, now while it's fresh."

"No you don't. I'm taking her home. You can talk to her tomorrow. Don't you see she's falling apart?"

Rossi stepped forward. Holding his hands out between the two arguers, he nodded at Hotch.

"Take her home, Aaron," he said. "She's been through enough for tonight. If it's okay, I'll come over tomorrow and get her statement. Then maybe in a couple days, we can have one of our old dinner parties at my place, and you and Kitten can tell everyone the whole story. How's that sound?"

"Thanks, Dave." Hotch shook his old friend's hand gratefully.

"What about you, Emily?" Rossi turned to his unit chief.

"I suppose that will do." Smiling, she turned back to Aaron and Penelope. "Go home and rest, Garcia. Tomorrow is soon enough. I'm just so thankful you're okay."

Penelope nodded. Aaron shook Emily's hand. Nodding to the others, he turned toward his car, Penelope clutched closely to his side.

"My hero," Penelope said. A tiny smile crossed her face, and Aaron was glad to see it.

"Aaron, Penelope, wait a minute." Reid raced up to them, as Aaron was opening the passenger side door.

They stopped, turning to face spencer.

"What is it, spencer?" Aaron asked.

Reaching out, Reid took Penelope's hand in both of his. Tears filled his eyes.

"I'm so sorry I let them take you," he said. "I should have let Meadows bring me with you. I should have stayed by your side. I'm so sorry, Penelope. Can you forgive me?"

Penelope stepped forward and wrapped her arms around her friend. They stood like that, swaying slightly, tears on both their cheeks. At last she pulled back. Taking his face in her hands, Penelope spoke seriously.

"Spencer, don't you dare apologize. You did exactly the right thing, and exactly what I wanted you to do. They needed you to help find me. Aaron needed your brains and your strength by his side as he went through this. My dear 187, it would have been a catastrophe if they'd gotten both of us!"

"She's right," Aaron said. "Spencer, you know how hard it is when one agent is in trouble. Having both of you in trouble would have been devastating for everyone. There's no guarantee they would have kept you both together. And with both of you, they could play you off against each other. You would have done anything to keep Penelope from being hurt, and she would have done the same for you. You know that."

Reid looked from one to the other. He sighed.

"I guess you're right. I just didn't want Garcia to think I had abandoned her."

"I would never have thought that," she said. She kissed his cheek. "Now, I'm going home to have a hot bath, some hot tea and a warm night with my guy. Go home and be at ease. You did everything right. And you know Aaron would have given you hell if he thought you hadn't!"

"I sure would have."

Reid smiled, hugged Garcia one more time and shook Aaron's hand.

"Okay. Thanks, both of you. Take her home, Aaron. She's exhausted."

Reid walked away.

Aaron turned to Penelope and took her in his arms. Holding her as close to him as he could hold her, he breathed in her scent.

"Honey, are you all right?" he asked in that soft voice few ever heard.

Penelope rested her head against him and sighed. She clung to him.

"I am, sort of. I will be, eventually. Oh, Aaron, I was so terrified. I was afraid—afraid they'd torture me. That Nicholas, he was scary. His eyes were, well, cold, dead things. No warmth, no humanity. I was afraid for you too. I kept thinking, he can't go through this again. Part of me thought I'd never see you or Jack again, and the other part of me was sure you'd come rushing to my rescue."

Tilting up her head, Penelope pulled his face to hers and kissed him.

"Let's go home, my love. I want a hot bath, some hot tea, and I want to lay in your arms all night, the place where I am always safe."

"Whatever you want." He kissed her again and then opened her door, helping her get settled in her seat.

"I need to call Jessica and let her know you're okay," Aaron said, as he drove toward their home. "She was so worried. Do you want me to have Jack stay with her tonight? He won't mind. Hell, it's midnight, and he's probably in bed already."

She stretched. She began rubbing her sore wrists.

"Do your wrists and ankles hurt?"

"A little. I'll bandage them up at home. As for Jessica and Jack, yes let her know I'm okay. If you're sure you don't mind letting Jack stay there tonight, I—I just don't want him to see me like this. Tomorrow, I'll be back to, or almost back to my usual sunny self."

He took her hand and squeezed it. Still holding tightly, he activated the hands-free and called Jessica. The conversation was brief. Jessica was relieved to know Penelope was safe and agreed to keep Jack till the morning. Aaron had been thankful for Jessica so many times over the years since Haley's death. She had stepped in and been the safe place for Jack when Aaron had to travel. She had willingly accepted first Beth and now Penelope. She never made him feel he was betraying Haley by falling in love again. She had even told him recently, that she thought Penelope was the perfect match for him.

"She gets you in a way Haley never did," Jess had explained. "Even now, with you in a regular old day job, I'm not sure Haley would have been completely happy. I know you two loved each other deeply, but I think you always wanted different things. Penelope completes you, and you her."

When they reached their home, Penelope hurried to start her bath. Aaron made himself busy in the kitchen, boiling water and making a cup of her favorite tea. He entered their bathroom to find her in the tub, eyes closed, head resting against the back.

"Here's your tea." He placed the mug on the side of the tub.

Penelope opened her eyes and smiled.

"Thank you."

Taking a wash cloth and her favorite shower gel, Aaron knelt beside the bathtub.

"Sit up, honey," he said.

Gently, he began to wash her. He made slow lazy strokes over her skin, watching her face, seeing the lines of stress begin to disappear. When the washing was done, he reached for her shampoo and helped her wash her hair. His shirt got wet, and he was pleased to hear a soft giggle from Penelope.

"You should have undressed before performing the duties of a ladies' maid," she said. "That would have been very pleasant."

He chuckled.

"You ready to get out, or do you want to sit in the heat for a bit?"

"I'm ready to get out."

Penelope stood and Aaron wrapped her in a large fluffy towel. Scooping her up in his arms, towel and all, he helped her out of the bath.

"Nobody has ever taken such sweet tender care of me," she said. "Thank you, Aaron. I feel calmer than I have all night."

"That's good. Let me put some antibiotic cream on those wrists. Your ankles look okay, but you've got some chaffing here on those wrists."

Swiftly, he spread cream over her sore wrists and then wrapped them in cotton and bandages.

"There now. It might slow you down at the computer a bit, but this should help."

Smiling, she stood up and hugged him.

"I am so damn lucky to have such a man in my life!"

"Yes you are," he said.

Later, as they lay together in their bed, skin to skin, arms and legs entwined, Penelope finally felt safe and began to relax.

"Aaron, I want to learn to shoot, and I want to learn to defend myself."

"Okay?"

"I've always thought I was safe being the tech gal. I'm not an agent. I don't go into dangerous situations. But that didn't matter to those people. I've been safe, sheltered in my little corner of Quantico, but I found out that I might not always be safe. I want to be able to defend myself."

"Okay. I think that's a good idea."

"You do?"

"Of course I do."

Aaron sat up. Reaching for the lamp, he turned it on and then looked at Penelope.

"I want you to be able to defend yourself," he said. "I never want you to feel helpless again. Derek can teach you some self-defense. Or you can take a class. And I can teach you to shoot. I thought I was going to have a heart attack from fear for you. You are gentle and kind, always seeing the good in people, always bringing sunshine to our worlds. Even before I came to love you, you could always make me laugh. The idea that you, of all people, were in deadly danger, I couldn't take it. Yes, Penelope, I want you to learn to defend yourself, and to shoot, if those are things you want to do."

He looked earnestly into her eyes.

Tears began to fall down her cheeks. She pulled him down on top of her and wept against his shoulder.

"It's okay now, baby, it's okay." Aaron stroked her hair and kissed her tears.

"I just need to cry it out," she said between sobs.

"I know. I know."

He turned over, settling her against his body, so her head was on his chest and her tears fell against his heart. He hated to see her cry, but he also understood that she needed to get it out. He spoke softly to her, nonsense words of love and support. He stroked her hair and her back, assuring her he was there and always would be there for her.

At last, her tears slowed and stopped.

"Hand me some tissues please," she said. Her voice was raspy from weeping.

He handed them to her and she wiped her face.

"Thanks for that," she hugged him close. "I do feel better now."

"Mmmm. I'm glad. Can you sleep now?"

"Hmmm. I might want to do something else before sleep."

"Do you now?" he asked in that husky sexy voice she loved so much at times like this.

"Yes I do. I want to feel alive again. I want to feel something besides fear. And I'm never more alive and strong than when you and I make love."

She ran her hands down his body, stroking, kissing where her hands touched.

Chuckling, he rolled them over, so he was leaning above her, smiling into her eyes.

"As always, my lady's wish is my pleasure to grant."

He placed a searing kiss on her lips, a kiss she returned as eagerly. Then slowly, tenderly, Aaron made love to her, showing her with his body and his words, that she was everything in the world to him. Penelope gave every bit back to him. When they were done, she snuggled close in his arms and fell asleep, at peace at last.

Aaron watched her sleep for a while. He knew this was just the beginning of recovery for her, but he knew he would be at her side, every step of the way. She had brought joy into his and Jack's life, a joy Aaron had never experienced. He would give her everything, anything, to keep her safe and happy.

"I love you," he whispered it into her hair.

Holding her close to him, Aaron fell asleep.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer:

I don't own Criminal Minds. If I did, Notch and Garcia would be together.

At last, here it is, the epilogue to this story. Dinner at Dave's. Enjoy, and review if you feel so inclined.

Chapter Seven

Two day later, Penelope was ready to face the rest of the team by having dinner at Dave's. Just the way they all used to do. Though she knew she had some PTSD to deal with, and she shied at a loud noise, felt frightened if she wasn't near Aaron at all times, still, she knew that she had to start taking the first steps back into her life. She would start some therapy the next week, but she wanted to get this team meeting over and done. Those who had not known about the relationship between her and Aaron had been blowing up her phone with texts and voice mails, asking how, what, when, where and why.

"We might as well just get it over with," she told Aaron. "They won't leave us alone until we tell them the story."

"Only if you're ready." He pulled her close to his side. "I will not put you through that if you need more time."

"I know. And I love you for that. But they are my friends, my team, my family. The sooner we just do it, the better."

"Okay. I'll let Rossi know he can go ahead and schedule that dinner."

Now, they were all gathered in Rossi's home. He had forbidden anyone to press Garcia for answers until they'd eaten dinner and had some wine. Finally, Prentiss turned to where Aaron and Penelope sat side by side, her hand clasped in his.

"All right you tow," Prentiss said, "start from the beginning. When did you two get together?"

"and why keep it from us?" JJ asked. "We're your family, Penelope."

Aaron and Penelope exchanged a glance.

"It really began during that time Penelope was in protective custody," Aaron said. "I spent the most time with her of anyone. It just grew from there. I've always had a special kind of feeling for Penelope, different from how I felt toward the other women on the team. That feeling began to turn into love during that period."

Penelope smiled at him.

"Yes, he kept me afloat during those horrible days, helped me deal with it all, listened when I rambled on and on, and held and comforted me when I cried with the frustration and longing to go home. One night, I was going to make an omelet for dinner, and spur of the moment invited him to join me. And that's where it all started."

"Over omelets?" Tara smiled at them. "It's so you, Garcia."

"Actually, I'd been falling for him for a long long time, I think," Penelope said. "You remember that Route 66 thing, when the father kidnapped his daughter?"

"Yes, and Hotch had collapsed due to internal bleeding or something from the old wounds from Foyet," JJ said.

"Yes, well, as you know, I stayed by Aaron's side in the hospital when you all went off to handle the case. I think that brought our friendship to a whole new level. I know I loved him after that."

"I'll never forget waking up and seeing her sitting there," Aaron picked up the story. "I think I started loving her then too."

Turning to Aaron, Penelope lightly punched his shoulder.

"You made me wait long enough though!"

"Well, I still had to deal with Beth. She was too good a person to dump. And I was still your boss. Things were too complicated. I tried to put it out of my mind and go on as normal."

"Is this why you pushed us so hard to find Scratch?" summons asked.

"Well of course," Penelope said. "Not just because I was petrified for Aaron and wanted him back. But I was worried about Jack too. We needed to find scratch, so both of them could come home and start living their lives again. It's no kind of life, living in hiding that way."

"And when we did get back," Aaron said, "Penelope was the first one, after Dave, to get in touch. She let me know that now I was not her boss, it was time to stop holding back. The rest, as they say, is history. Except to say, I've never been happier, and Jack adores her."

Prentiss looked down. She'd been watching everyone as they heard the story. Part of her, had wondered how a strong dynamic, and handsome man like Hotch could have fallen for Garcia. After all, she, Emily Prentiss, was so much more like him. Yet, she admitted to herself, she didn't really care for him that way. Two alpha types would probably spend all their time fighting. She felt a sense of let-down though, as she'd watched her team hang on every word. In some ways, they still looked to Hotch, cared about his opinion, counted on his leadership, more than they ever had for her. Loyalty of that sort was hard to develop. She wished he'd never walked back into the picture.

"Why did you let Rossi and Reid know but not tell us?" JJ asked.

Penelope shrugged.

"Dave and I have been friends for years," Aaron said. "You all know that. He's my best friend, like a brother almost. Of course, I was going to tell him. And Reid, well, he figured it out."

Penelope laughed, smiling over at Spencer.

"You all know that spencer and I have that sibling thing going on, and the two geniuses on the team thing. I couldn't keep him out of the loop."

"Well, we all know now," Rossi said. "And I think we can stop pestering Aaron and Penelope for now."

When it came to the emotional well-being of the people on the team, Rossi spoke with an authority nobody cared to debate. After an awkward pause, Alvez changed the subject, and the conversation moved on.

"Can we go home now, dad?" Jack asked. "I need to finish some homework."

Aaron stood up. Reaching out his hand, he helped Penelope to her feet.

"sure, buddy," he said. "You must really be bored if you want to get home so you can do homework."

Jack looked away, a smile curving his lips.

"I'm pretty tired too anyway," Penelope said. "I'm ready to go home."

They made their way around the room, shaking hands, exchanging hugs, promising to see each other soon.

"Now that we all know," Prentiss said, as she shook hands with Hotch, "Don't be a stranger. You're welcome to visit any time."

"thanks, Emily. But you know, now that I'm used to it, I'm happy being away from the BAU. But we'll keep in touch. After all, Penelope still is part of the team."

At home again, the small family had a quiet evening. Aaron helped Jack with his math homework, while Penelope took a hot bath. She would be starting a self-defense class soon, and Aaron would be teaching her to shoot. She would never be the defenseless one again. She would never be taken off guard again. If it meant leaving the FBI eventually, to keep herself and her man and soon-to-be stepson safe, she would do that too.

Later, as Aaron and Penelope lay together, she snuggled up to him and sighed.

"Remember all those years ago, when you told me either come to work for you or go to jail?"

Chuckling, he stroked her hair.

"Yes, and you called me suit, and gave me your resume on pink paper."

"Homemade pink stationery that is."

"Yes, I remember." He said.

"I think I kinda started to love you even then."

"Really?"

"Yes. Well, you were so commanding and demanding, so intense, with that trademark glare of yours. You were just hot, plain and simple."

He burst out laughing and hugged her tight against his body.

"I meant it when I told them I always had a special feeling for you."

"What kind of special feeling?" she asked.

"I worried about you so much. Anytime I had to ask you to step outside your comfort zone on a case, I knew how it troubled you, and I wanted to make it better. It wasn't that I didn't care about the feelings of the rest of the team. Every one of us had cases that affected us more than others, and I tried to reach out and help where I could. But you were different. Once, I told you I never wanted you to change. I meant that then with all my heart. And I mean it even more now, Penelope. You brought joy and light into my life, and a kind of happiness to Jack that he doesn't remember ever having. I can only hope I, we, have given something back to you."

"You goof. Of course you have. Would I be lying here with you, if you hadn't?"

"Of course not." Aaron rubbed her back softly. "I just don't ever want you to feel that you haven't completely changed my life, in every way. I love you, Penelope. Thank you for loving me and my son so much."

"I love you too."

They kissed. She laid her head on his chest, and he wrapped his arms protectively around her. They drifted to sleep, each feeling happy and secure together.

Down the hall, Jack slept peacefully. He had spent years wanting his dad to find happiness again, wanting someone to come into their lives and make them whole. At last, Penelope had come along, and Jack had seen the joy shine in his dad's eyes again. He could barely remember his mom, though his dad and Penelope did what they could to keep her memory fresh for him. He'd come to love Penelope like a mother now, and when the time came that his dad and Penelope got married, Jack would be thrilled.

Silence filled the house. Only a clock ticking in the living room, an occasional car passing on the street, or the sound of the refrigerator, broke the stillness, as Aaron, Penelope and Jack slept in peace, confident in the strength of the bond of love between them all.

The End

Thanks for joining me on this journey. I don't write often, as I'm working on my original novels, as well as having a busy job. But put me on author alert, as there are still a few stories in my head for this pairing.


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